In 2024 we have a much increased awareness of renewable technologies, and a bigger commitment to making them work through investment and adjusting our lifestyles or working procedures. In a residential or commercial setting, we have responsibilities to provide basic services such as heat and hot water, and how we manage this can have a huge impact on our health and wellbeing, carbon impact and financial security.
Renewable solutions are increasingly being adopted to help us meet these challenges, and with more reliable systems and better performance data, we are able to make sound investments which provide great benefits. Possibly the best example of this is the air source heat pump, which has become a reliable and effective alternative to a traditional gas boiler.
What is an air source heat pump?
An air source heat pump is a system that uses the established method of converting air into a water source to provide heat, indeed, they are sometimes called air-to-water-source heat pumps. Effectively, an air source heat pump transfers outside air into a fluid which then heats water and provides heating and hot water from a cylinder tank.
Most air source heat pumps are split systems which have the main unit stored outside, with plenty of space around it to allow free air flow. And then pipework feeds inside the property where the heat exchange takes place and hot water is fed into the cylinder. It is more efficient for the heat exchange to take place inside, because there is less heat loss inside the building and therefore, the system doesn’t have to work as hard.
How does an air source heat pump work?
In many ways an air source heat pump is working like a fridge, but in reverse. Let’s look at this process in more detail:
- Outside air is drawn in and absorbed by the heat pump system that sits outside the property.
- The air travels through a network of tubes filled with refrigerant gases.
- Using a compressor, the gas temperature increases to the point that it becomes a hot fluid.
- This compressed hot fluid passes through a heat exchanger which raises the temperature.
- The heat exchanger works to heat the water that is stored in the hot water cylinder tank.
- The refrigerant fluid then turns back into a cold gas and the cycle starts again.
What are the benefits of using an air source heat pump?
- Energy efficient – An air source heat pump is around 300% more efficient than a traditional gas boiler.
- All weathers – An air source heat pump can work in all weathers, even in freezing winter conditions, although the colder the weather is, the more work the system will have to do to create the heat transfer.
- Environmental noise – Gas boilers can be noisy, particularly if they are old or poorly maintained, but an air source heat pump only produces a noise similar to a standard fridge. There are periods where it is working harder, ie. in cold weather or when producing a pre-set high water temperature, but the internal unit contains only valves and pumps, which work very quietly.
- More effective heat – The way the air source heat pump works means it produces a more gentle heat over a longer period, rather than with a gas boiler which provides quick boosts of heat on demand. This is more efficient, and because of how radiation works, this will make the property more comfortable and warm over the course of a day, while also using less energy.
Contact GoGreener Energy Services for your air source heat pump installation
If you are considering an air source heat pump installation, then contact our team of experts at GoGreener Energy Services today. The costs of an installation can vary depending on the size of the unit and the heat demands you have, there can also be variations in the complexity of the installation and what existing pipework you have, which can influence costs. However, we can talk you through this and work together with you to design a system that meets your energy demands and gives you the renewable energy capabilities and outputs that you require.
